Have you ever noticed how liberals are always complaining that regular citizens don’t get involved? They claim that corporations and Republican tactics stand in the way of citizen engagement. While this is often the case, liberals also impede civic engagement. Highly educated liberals are the people who read Politico and TheHuffington Post religiously. They secretly like to know the news before everyone else, or being the hipster liberals. These elite liberals enjoy acting as benevolent reporters sharing the good news with the ‘common folk.’

These Starbucks-loving liberals have their own jargon. Inside-jokes allow them to form a sort of cabal where they feel at home and welcomed. In a polarized political climate such as ours, it makes sense for like-minded individuals to come together. However, liberals need to realize that exclusivity is fundamentally detrimental towards an active citizenry. Liberals must stop acting as if they are guardians of the truth, or as if they alone can solve our world’s problems. Regardless of their intentions, this attitude ostracizes many.

Elite liberals have an air of superiority, and in the end patronize their fellow citizens. Liberals cannot afford to be seen in this light because their base is already marginalized enough. It is time for a paradigm shift in the way liberals see themselves and relate with others. When the Supreme Court announced its ruling on the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, countless people chimed in, those informed as well as the uninformed by sharing their opinion on the matter. Elite liberals quickly became defensive, seeing this form of engagement as a threat to their role as the "educated citizens." They claimed people who knew nothing about ACA were now trying to give their opinion, as if only these elite liberals who scour the media for hours have the authority to give their point-of-view.

A campaign needs to begin: End the Arrogance Now! Liberals need a strong and effective coalition that can be forged only when “regular people” are brought into the fold. Elite liberals should not see this as a threat to their status - they are needed in various capacities, but they must be cognizant of the general public's perception. No matter how good their ideas are, if liberals are demeaning it distorts their message.